London to Southampton pier: Bus or Train?

[fstuff1]

Cruise is in late Oct.

My hotel is in Kensington area but i can change it.

 

Google maps says Train is about 2hrs to pier and Bus is 3hrs.

It recommends Train.

 

Victoria bus station is within walking distance of hotel (.8 miles/20min walk).

bus is $26 for 2.

Don't know the cost of train.

 

which is better?

why?

[gumshoe958]

2 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

Cruise is in late Oct.

My hotel is in Kensington area but i can change it.

 

Google maps says Train is about 2hrs to pier and Bus is 3hrs.

It recommends Train.

 

Victoria bus station is within walking distance of hotel (.8 miles/20min walk).

bus is $26 for 2.

Don't know the cost of train.

 

which is better?

why?

Trains are faster and more frequent but you’ll have to get yourself to Waterloo station and carry your own luggage on and off the train (which doesn’t have any dedicated space for large cases).

 

Coaches are slower and less frequent but the driver will take care of loading and unloading your luggage and, as you say, Victoria is closer to your hotel.

 

Coach is likely cheaper although train fares can be quite low IF you book well in advance and select a specific service rather than buy an open, flexible ticket.

[exlondoner]

I would probably avoid trains at the weekend. On Saturdays they tend to be expensive and crowded, on Sundays there are sometimes engineering works. On the other hand on a Monday, say, out of the rush hour time, the fare may be very low, and there will be space for your luggage without annoying anyone.

[blloyd78]

Navigating the London Underground with suitcases is a real problem. Finding elevators is not as easy as it should be - and you will often have to queue just to get in. Locals will be very unhelpful if you have a lot of luggage. Oh, and British trains tend to be very expensive.

I would strongly recommend the bus/coach because it is simple and requires much less hassle. This guide should help answer a lot of your questions: https://www.journeyintodarkness.co.uk/national-express-to-southampton-cruise-terminal

[ColoradoMom!!]

What I love about CC is all the info people are so kind to share to help make these types of decisions!  The more info, the easier to make the decision that works best for your particular circumstances!  So here is my input for info purposes for others that may see this in the future too: 

 

I posted this in the thread linked below (great info there) about our advanced tickets for Saturday Aug. 3rd, 2024:

 

"We used LNER and paid £39.60 (for first class) 2 adults total - $50 and change USD  - that's only $25 each for 1st class for hubby and me!"

 

We took the 10:30 am train - and our ticket was time specific. Regular tickets were probably $5 less each?  First class probably wasn't worth it - just a separate small compartment with 8 seats total - tables in between parties of 4 on each side of the train.

 

We thought the train was great and easy. We walked from our hotel near Waterloo pulling one each suitcase approx 48 lbs.  We are 59 and 61 years old. There were no elevators or escalators for us to navigate from our entrance into Waterloo station from Waterloo road southern end, and I don't recall any to our platform. 

 

It's true that there are no dedicated spaces for luggage on the train, so we had to put them near the door and just keep an eye on them at the very few stops before reaching Southampton.

 

You will need to lift your bag onto the train - less than I foot maybe, which I did with no problem.  I didn't know/or remember that before we boarded the train.  Taxi from train station to pier was about $10 USD.

 

Would I do it again? Yes, but a bus/coach may be slightly easier if I was close to Victoria station. And I was worried about the time and traffic on a Saturday in August with the coach option, and chose my hotel (Hampton Inn Waterloo) based on our multiple use of Waterloo station. 

 

[blloyd78]

You got a bargain @ColoradoMom!! - I've never seen any train tickets that cheap, especially for 1st class!

[Cotswold Eagle]

1 hour ago, blloyd78 said:

You got a bargain @ColoradoMom!! - I've never seen any train tickets that cheap, especially for 1st class!

The Advance fares on the Waterloo-Southampton route start at £14 Standard and £19.80 First. I’m surprised you have never seen them, they are widely available. 

[blloyd78]

30 minutes ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

The Advance fares on the Waterloo-Southampton route start at £14 Standard and £19.80 First. I’m surprised you have never seen them, they are widely available. 

I guess it's because the initial Greater Anglia leg of my trip is ridiculously over-priced to start with 🤣
Cost-wise, the train cannot compete with National Express from my corner of the UK.

[exlondoner]

53 minutes ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

The Advance fares on the Waterloo-Southampton route start at £14 Standard and £19.80 First. I’m surprised you have never seen them, they are widely available. 

Interesting. My husband sometimes pays £9+ for Bournemouth to Waterloo. That is with a Crumblycard, so full fare would probably be about the same as from Southampton for 30 miles further. The fare structure is more than somewhat opaque.

[NightOne]

On 9/6/2024 at 6:42 AM, blloyd78 said:

Navigating the London Underground with suitcases is a real problem. Finding elevators is not as easy as it should be - and you will often have to queue just to get in. Locals will be very unhelpful if you have a lot of luggage. Oh, and British trains tend to be very expensive.

I would strongly recommend the bus/coach because it is simple and requires much less hassle. This guide should help answer a lot of your questions: https://www.journeyintodarkness.co.uk/national-express-to-southampton-cruise-terminal

 

Booked National Express Coach after research here and seeing your linked website.

 

We do Victoria Coach Station to Southampton Coach Station there and Southampton Coach Station to LHR Terminal 5 on the way back which means we need to figure out how to get to and from the cruise port to Southampton Coach Station.

 

Will there literally not be any waiting cabs when we arrive on the inbound?

 

Are there plenty of cabs around the port that are willing to take you the short distance to the Southampton Coach Station for the outbound?

 

Thanks

[exlondoner]

20 minutes ago, NightOne said:

 

Booked National Express Coach after research here and seeing your linked website.

 

We do Victoria Coach Station to Southampton Coach Station there and Southampton Coach Station to LHR Terminal 5 on the way back which means we need to figure out how to get to and from the cruise port to Southampton Coach Station.

 

Will there literally not be any waiting cabs when we arrive on the inbound?

 

Are there plenty of cabs around the port that are willing to take you the short distance to the Southampton Coach Station for the outbound?

 

Thanks

I’m sure they’ll be cabs. Why would there not be? There is a cab rank adjacent to the coach station I think.

[blloyd78]

I can count on zero fingers how many times I have seen cabs waiting at the taxi rank outside the coach station. I've seen plenty of travellers queueing hopelessly to flag down a passing taxi though.

 

I suggest taking a note of the local taxi company phone numbers and giving one of them a call when you arrive at the coach station.

 

West Quay Cars: (+44) 02380 999999

Radio Taxis: (+44) 02380 666 666

[John Bull]

14 hours ago, NightOne said:

 

 

Will there literally not be any waiting cabs when we arrive on the inbound?

 

Are there plenty of cabs around the port that are willing to take you the short distance to the Southampton Coach Station for the outbound?

 

Thanks

 

Cruise terminals to the bus or train station are the bread-and-butter for taxis available on-spec., folk who travel further (Heathrow, central London, etc)  pre-book private transfers. A driver who took us from Horizon Terminal to the city boundary bemoaned the fact that he'd get stuck in commuter traffic when returning empty to the city centre.

Only very occasionally is there's a long line at the cruise terminal, but it moves quickly.

 

As @blloyd78 has posted. coach station to cruise terminal is more of a challenge - altho there's a taxi rank at the coach station it's frequently empty and a coach arrival will quickly eat up any taxis which might be there.

So yes, presuming the rank is empty, phone for a taxi when you arrive or walk (5 mins) to the train station, where taxis are much more frequent.

Or if you're tolerably fit, the weather's fine, and your cruise terminal is Horizon or City (mebbe even Ocean) it's a simple level walk of about 15 minutes (25 mins to Ocean).

And unless you've been very foolish with what time coach you've booked there's no need to rush to get to the ship

 

JB 🙂

 

 

[fstuff1]

Thx everyone.

 

I booked national Express from Victoria station to Southampton for next month, 830am.

Surprised it was only $11 (+ $5 optional flexible change fee).

 

Figured people on my cruise would have filled it up by now, unless they are taking the 1030am which arrives at around 130pm.

Ship departs at 4pm which makes that a little close for comfort. (Ie: weekday traffic)

 

Edited September 27 by fstuff1

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

Thx everyone.

 

I booked national Express from Victoria station to Southampton for next month, 830am.

Surprised it was only $11 (+ $5 optional flexible change fee).

 

Figured people on my cruise would have filled it up by now, unless they are taking the 1030am which arrives at around 130pm.

Ship departs at 4pm which makes that a little close for comfort. (Ie: weekday traffic)

 

I imagine most people will come down the previous day.

[John Bull]

3 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

Thx everyone.

 

I booked national Express from Victoria station to Southampton for next month, 830am.

Surprised it was only $11 (+ $5 optional flexible change fee).

 

Figured people on my cruise would have filled it up by now, unless they are taking the 1030am which arrives at around 130pm.

Ship departs at 4pm which makes that a little close for comfort. (Ie: weekday traffic)

 

 

Nat Express from Victoria call at Heathrow airport en route to Southampton.

Because there's competition from the railways the fare from Victoria is low, but because there's no cheap, simple or direct train service to Southampton from Heathrow, Nat Express can charge higher fares - usually 2 to 3 times as much as fares from Victoria - even though the journey is shorter.

 

Yes, roads in London will be slow at around 8.30 om weekday mornings but once clear of the London outskirts and on the motorway (freeway) to Southampton there are normally no hold-ups - in fact the only day that route often gets log-jammed is a sunny summer saturday, when the lemmings leave London for a weekend on the coast or in the countryside.

That said, those who sail at 4pm and choose the coach which arrives in Southampton at 1.30pm don't have wiggle-room for any unexpected delays.

 

BTW you mentioned taking Nat Express from Victoria station to Southampton.

Just to be sure you're aware - Victoria Train Station and Victoria Coach Station are two different places, a few minutes apart. Don't miss your coach because you've gone to the wrong station !! 

 

JB 🙂

 

[TMLAalum]

@John Bull

I just checked the Nat'l Express schedule from Victoria Coach Station to Southampton. It seems it's not direct- one must spend time at LHR to connect to a different bus to Southampton. Would it not make more sense to take the Elizabeth line or other route to the airport and just take the bus from the airport?

Edited September 27 by TMLAalum

[John Bull]

23 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

@John Bull

I just checked the Nat'l Express schedule from Victoria Coach Station to Southampton. It seems it's not direct- one must spend time at LHR to connect to a different bus to Southampton. Would it not make more sense to take the Elizabeth line or other route to the airport and just take the bus from the airport?

 

About half of the coaches from Victoria (route number 032) are direct to Southampton, and the other half involve a change of coach at Heathrow (change at Heathrow to route number 205) with various waiting times between coaches. I's clear on NE's timetables which coaches are direct from Victoria and which involve a change at Heathrow. 

Direct coaches used to include calling at Heathrow en-route but the random ones I've just checked no longer do. 

 

If you're travelling from the Victoria area its definitely simpler, easier & significantly cheaper to choose a direct coach from Victoria.

If you're travelling from another part of central London it depends on whether transportation is easier to Victoria or to Heathrow. Or indeed to a Southampton-bound train at Waterloo station. But as well as the cost of getting to Heathrow you also have to build in the higher NE fare from Heathrow - not megabucks but certainly the cost of a few beers.

 

I guess waiting time between buses at Heathrow is a factor, but so is travel time to Victoria or Heathrow

 

JB 🙂

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

About half of the coaches from Victoria (route number 032) are direct to Southampton, and the other half involve a change of coach at Heathrow (change at Heathrow to route number 205) with various waiting times between coaches. I's clear on NE's timetables which coaches are direct from Victoria and which involve a change at Heathrow. 

Direct coaches used to include calling at Heathrow en-route but the random ones I've just checked no longer do. 

 

If you're travelling from the Victoria area its definitely simpler, easier & significantly cheaper to choose a direct coach from Victoria.

If you're travelling from another part of central London it depends on whether transportation is easier to Victoria or to Heathrow. Or indeed to a Southampton-bound train at Waterloo station. But as well as the cost of getting to Heathrow you also have to build in the higher NE fare from Heathrow - not megabucks but certainly the cost of a few beers.

 

I guess waiting time between buses at Heathrow is a factor, but so is travel time to Victoria or Heathrow

 

JB 🙂

And the other thing about having to change coaches is the general irritation of moving your luggage.

[Globaliser]

1 hour ago, TMLAalum said:

I just checked the Nat'l Express schedule from Victoria Coach Station to Southampton. It seems it's not direct- one must spend time at LHR to connect to a different bus to Southampton. Would it not make more sense to take the Elizabeth line or other route to the airport and just take the bus from the airport?

 

There should be direct services. There certainly are on a random day next week. But it looks like there are only a few each day (I counted only a dozen).

 

If there are no direct services, then it would make absolutely no sense to take a train to the airport and then take a coach; it would be mad not to just take the train from central London to central Southampton instead.

 

More generally, there really aren't many good reasons to take the coach from central London to central Southampton anyway. On any route with a decent rail service, rail beats road for pretty much everyone - which is one of the reasons why there are so many more trains than coaches (40 on the same random day).

[TMLAalum]

2 hours ago, Globaliser said:

More generally, there really aren't many good reasons to take the coach from central London to central Southampton anyway. On any route with a decent rail service, rail beats road for pretty much everyone - which is one of the reasons why there are so many more trains than coaches (40 on the same random day).

To quote an Adele lyric- "rumor has it" that train travel from Waterloo to Southampton on a Sunday, specifically 24 August of a bank holiday weekend, can be impacted by track closures for repair and maintenance. Are these typically posted on the line's website well ahead of time? Doing a search on the Southwestern Line for this coming Sunday TROUBLE!

Service update

This South Western Railway service is likely to be a bus or coach. South Western Railway use a combination of coaches and buses depending on the route. 

Edited September 27 by TMLAalum

[exlondoner]

10 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

To quote an Adele lyric- "rumor has it" that train travel from Waterloo to Southampton on a Sunday, specifically 24 August of a bank holiday weekend, can be impacted by track closures for repair and maintenance. Are these typically posted on the line's website well ahead of time? Doing a search on the Southwestern Line for this coming Sunday TROUBLE!

Service update

This South Western Railway service is likely to be a bus or coach. South Western Railway use a combination of coaches and buses depending on the route. 

Leaving aside the year was closed for half of August, because they were reconfiguring Waterloo, they very rarely have planned closures in the summer months because it is a holiday route. On this coming Sunday, the train starts at Southampton Parkway, so if arriving at Southampton Docks, it would be worth taking a taxi straight there.

Edited September 27 by exlondoner

[fstuff1]

9 hours ago, John Bull said:

BTW you mentioned taking Nat Express from Victoria station to Southampton.

Just to be sure you're aware - Victoria Train Station and Victoria Coach Station are two different places, a few minutes apart. Don't miss your coach because you've gone to the wrong station !! 

 

JB 🙂

 

There's a nat express at victoria train station?

 

anyway, here's my ticket info:

08:30 (8:30 AM)	LONDON VICTORIA London Victoria Coach Stn, Departures Hall view on map
	2 hours 20 minutes, 0 Changes
10:50 (10:50 AM)	SOUTHAMPTON Coach Station Harbour Parade Southampton Coach Stn, Harbour Parade

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

There's a nat express at victoria train station?

 

anyway, here's my ticket info:

08:30 (8:30 AM)	LONDON VICTORIA London Victoria Coach Stn, Departures Hall view on map
	2 hours 20 minutes, 0 Changes
10:50 (10:50 AM)	SOUTHAMPTON Coach Station Harbour Parade Southampton Coach Stn, Harbour Parade

No, the bus leaves from Victoria Coach Station, close to but separate from the railway station.

[John Bull]

16 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

There's a nat express at victoria train station?

 

anyway, here's my ticket info:

08:30 (8:30 AM)	LONDON VICTORIA London Victoria Coach Stn, Departures Hall view on map
	2 hours 20 minutes, 0 Changes
10:50 (10:50 AM)	SOUTHAMPTON Coach Station Harbour Parade Southampton Coach Stn, Harbour Parade

 

 

As per my post #16 they're two different places, but only a few minutes walk apart.

 

There are several entrances to the train station.

 

The main coach station entrance is on the corner of  the main Buckingham Palace Road and Elizabeth Street.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/EE39LW6cEJj3hGRT6

 

Your ticket is correct

 

JB 🙂